Shackle or connecting-link.



H. E. ROTTMER.

SHACKLE 0R CONNECTING LINK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. ms.

Patented Apr. 17,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I Inventor.-

Jieiuzy .Rottmer, Z7 %,wm am/@ H. E. ROTTMER.

SHACKLE 0R CONNECTING LINK.

APPLICATION FILED IULY I3, I916.

1,222,997. Patented Apr. 17,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fizventor:

' H. E. ROTTMER.

SHACKLE 0R CONNECTING LINK. APPLICATION FILED JULY I3, 1916.

Patented Apr. 17; 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- III '///A H. E. ROTTMER.

SHACKLE 0B CONNECTING LINK.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Inventor: J/enzy Efiottnwh wgwwm HENRY E. ROTTMER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SHACKLE OR CONNECTING-LIN K.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

Application filed. July 13, 1916. Serial No. 109,153.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IENRY E. RoT'rMER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shackles or Connecting-Links, of which the following is a specification.

A demand exists for a device wherewith' to make a rapid connection with or disconnection from a rope, chain, tackle, or the like, for instance in the case of a ships lifeboat, it is urgently desirable to provide means for quickly connecting the hoisting tackle with the ships life-boat, or to quickly set the life-boat free when it is lowered into the water and particularly when a high sea shackle open for receiving a link of a chain.

I or other connection.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail View of a part of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View of the upper part of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modification of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 8.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views a quarter turn from each other of a different application of my invention. 7

Fig. 12 is a plan view of Fig. 11.

Figs. 13 and 14 are views showing another use of the invention.

In these drawings 1 indicates the eye of the shackle which receives the link of a chain, such as indicated at 2, or it may re ceive any other suitable. connectionj From this eye portion of the shackle arms 3 and 4 extend, the-ends of said arms being sepa,

rated from each other to provide a space between them for receiving removably any suitable form of connecting member, such as the link of a chain or ring bolt and these arms have mounted therein the shackle bolt 5, which extends between them and affords a bearing for the member to which the shackle is to be connected, such as a hook or the link of a chain or ring bolt, etc. The shackle bolt has a handle 6 at one end, which not only serves as a member for operating the shackle bolt but it also serves as a weight to hold the shackle bolt in its locked position. For locking the shackle bolt a key 7 is provided at the end opposite that at which the handle 6 is located, this key projecting along side the outer face of the end of the arm 3 and finding a bearing against the said face-to prevent movement of the bolt in an axial direction. When the bolt is to be withdrawn the handle 6 is turned so as to make the key 7 register with an opening 8 formed in the arm 3 and then the bolt may be drawn axially so as to free the space between the two arms 3 and 4 for the insertion of the member with which the shackle is to be connected or for the removal of the shackle from such member.

On the inner faces of each of the arms I provide flanges 9 and 10 and these flanges have notches or openings 11, 12 formed therein in line with each other and also in line with the opening 8, so that as the bolt 5 is thrust longitudinally and the key 7 passes through the opening 8 it will be guided after leaving said opening by the walls or edges of the opening 11 in the flange 9. The extent of movement that the tained in this position in which it was withdrawn from the arm 3 by the key'7 resting against the edges of the flange 10 at the notch or opening 12. The bolt will now be in position leaving the space between the arms 3 and 4 clear for the attachment or removal of the shackle from the member with which it has cooperated or is to cooperate.

hen the shackle is to be attachedto its companion membenthis member is inserted between the arms 3 and 4 and by the handle 6 the bolt 5 is given a push longitudinally, the walls of the notch 12 serving to guide the key 7 in this movement and determine or enter between the walls of the notch 11 and will be guided thereby to the opening 8, and having passed through this opening it is only necessary to let go of the handle 6 and allow it to drop when thekey 7 will turn to its lowermost position out of line with the opening 8 and the shackle will be locked.

The guiding effect of the flanges 9 and 10 on the bolt 5 and its key 7 is such that it is found in practice only necessary to give the bolt 5 an impelling movement or force and notwithstanding the fact that the handle 6 'may be released as soon as this impelling force has been imparted to the bolt the direction of movement will have been so, determined by the key 7 and the notch 11 or 12 that the said key will find the opposite notch and the bolt will assume its proper position.

\V hen the bolt'5 is withdrawn it will be understood that the flange 10 will hold it by means of its notch 12 in position, ready to be thrown across the space between the arms 3 and 4:, as shown in Fig. 4:.

One advantage of the arrangement is that it may be quickly operated and requires the minimum amount of attention and manipulation on the part of the operator, practically no centering action being called for on the operators part to aline the key 7 with the opening 8 or with the notches 11 and 12.

It will be seen from Fig. 3 that the notches 11 and 12 are flared toward the inner side of the shackle so that any slight deflection of the bolt when thrown across the space between the shackle arms will not prevent proper engagement of the key 7 with the notches.

In order to allow the introduction of a link into the eye 1, I provide a throat-piece 13 having ribs 1% on its side faces to enter grooves at 15. in the shackle member and when the throat-block is inserted in place it is held by pins or other means 16 lying in grooves 17 in the shackle and other grooves 18 in the throat-piece. intended to remain permanently in position. it provides a means of taking the stresses and keeps the shackle from closing up under a very heavy load.

The invention may be carried out in con nection with a double form of shackle illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, in which one of the shifting bolts is provided for each end of the shackle. The weighted arms or'handles in this arrangement, as in that first described, are intended to assume such position by gravity as will hold the bolt locked in position.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show the application of the invention to a stationary coupling or connecting member.

' It will be observed that the opening 8 is formed in the arm 3 at a point where it will This throat-piece is.

not affect the strength of the arm in sustaining the strain incident to such devices, that is to' say this opening instead of being formed between the bolt opening and the end ofthe arm is formed on the side of the bolt opening opposite that at which the strain comes.

In Figs. 13 and le the improved shackle is shown in connection with a block and tackle.

It will be seen from Fig. at that the key 7 by resting in the notch 12 of the flange 10 serves to lock the bolt 5 in. position with the shackle open, requiring no attention or hold ing by the operator and the link or other connection having been inserted by the operator it is simply necessary to throw the bolt longitudinally to the left in Fig. 4, when the key 7 will find and pass through the opening 8 and the bolt will then turn under the weight of the handle and the bolt will be locked in holding position.

I claim as my invention:

1. A shackle or like connecting member having opposing arms with openings therein in axial alinement with each other and one of the openings having an extension or notch to permit the passage ofa key member therethrough and a bolt having a handle at one end, said handle lying outside of the adjacent arm and extending laterally in respect to said bolt to serve as a weight for turning the same and a key on the other end of the bolt projecting laterally there from and adapted to pass through the notch, said bolt being slidable axially and limited in its outward axial movement to maintain its connection with one of the arms, the notch being so positioned that the key will be out of alinement therewith when the handle drops by gravity and thereby turns the bolt into locking position with said key on the outer side of the arm having the notch, and the key will be in line with said notch when the handle is a half turn from 1 its position assumed by gravity, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a shackle, a bolt, extending between the arms thereof having a weighted member to turn said bolt into locking position, a key on said bolt, a notch in the arm of the shackle adjacent the said key but out of line therewith when the weight turns the bolt to lockingposition and flanges on the inner faces of the arms surrounding the bolt and projecting toward each other, said flanges being notched in line with each other for receiving the key on the bolt, when the same is turned into position for the longitudinal movement of the bolt, substantially as described.

. 3. In combination with a shackle having arms, with a bolt extending between said arms provided with a key and a weighted handle, a notch in one of the arms topermit the passage of said key and means for guiding the bolt after it leaves one ofthe arms and for holding the bolt in position against the action of its weight with the key in line with the said opening, substantially as described.

4. In combination in a shackle, having arms with a space between, a bolt having bearings in said arms in which it turns and slides, a key on one end of the bolt, a weighted handle on the opposite end of the bolt, one of the arms being notched to permit the passage of the key and flanges on the inner faces of the arms projecting toward each other and notched'in line with the opening through one of the arms to receive the said key, the said notches having flaring mouths, substantially as described.

5. In combination in a shackle an eye portion, arms extending therefrom, a shifting bolt in said arms and an inserted throatpiece between the arms and the eye of the shackle, substantially as described.

6. In combination in a shackle a grooved eye portion, arms extending therefrom, a shifting bolt in said arms and an inserted throat-piece between the arms and the eye of the shackle, said throat-piece having ribs seated in grooves in the eye portion and pins extending transversely of said grooves and ribs for holding the throat-piece in place, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a shackle including arms having openings, a bolt movable longitudinally to close and open the shackle, said bolt having a key to pass through the opening in one of the arms, and when the bolt is turned serving to lock the bolt against longitudinal movement, and means for holding the bolt against rotation when in open position and with the said key in line with said opening, substantially as described.

8. In combination with a shackle including arms having openings, a bolt movable longitudinally in the openings in the arms and r0- tatable in said openings, a key on one end of the bolt and a weight on the other end, one of the arms also having an opening for permitting the passage of said key, said key under the action of the weight serving to lock the bolt in closed position and against longitudinal movement, and means at the other arm of the shackle for holding the bolt against the turning action of the weight and with the key substantially in line with the opening in the other arm adapted to receive it, substantially as described.

9. A shackle or like connecting member having opposing arms with openings therein in axial alinement with each other and one of the arms having a notch to permit the passage of a key member therethrough, the other arm being unnotched and a bolt having a handle at one end outside the adjacent arm to serve as a weight for turning the bolt and a key on; the other end of the bolt' projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to pass through the notch, said bolt being slidable axially and limited in its outward axial movement by the key coming against the unnotched arm, the notch being so positioned that the key will be out of line therewith when the bolt is turned down by gravity and in line with the key when the handle is positioned a half turn from its lower position.

10. In combination, in a shackle, a pair of opposing arms having alined openings, a bolt movable longitudinally in said openings, a weighted handle on one end of the bolt outside of one of the arms and extending at right angles to the belt, a key at the other end of the bolt, one of the arms hav.

ing a notch communicating with the opening therein and adapted to permit the passage of the key, said bolt being limited in its longitudinal movement by contact of the key with the unnotched arm to maintain connection therewith when the bolt is shifted to unlocked position, and means engaging thekey when in unlocked position for holding the bolt with the weighted handle up and with the key in line with the notch of the other arm, said notch being so disposed that the key, when the bolt is rotated by the weight of the handle, will be out of line with the notch to lock the bolt in place across the space between the arms, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

HENRY E. ROTTMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

